Apparatus for effecting sequential operation of the keys of a tape perforating machine



Dea 10, 1963 c. N. BREWER l 3,113,718

l APPARATUS FOR EFFECTING SEQUENTIAL OPERATION 0F THE KEYS 0F ATAPE PERFORATING MACHINE Filed Oct. 24, 1962 l 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 mwwwfw@ Dec. 10, 1963 c. N. BREWER APPARATUS FOR EFFECTING sEQuENTIAL OPERATION oF THE xEvs oF A TAPE PEREORATING MACHINE Filed oct. 24, 1962 2 sheets-sheet 2 20, 20o s L 2H 25o 252 202 f -Ouns unsao u L No $254 202s S208 N L o Uns O 232, 205 207 20e 270 l 272 N l 236 T 24o 238 am@ 2|8\ L I Z242 w f-- 7.a

, 33.0' 552 02 s 3|2 55o A. 303 l-R L 3H 1 T T l? J" m L LR r o S B o 308 3,9 38 gl 30e *ASL E@ l E E INVENTOR CLA/RE N. BREWER BY AJC/244. :Mza/a 9 ATTORNEYS United States Patent O APPARATUS FR EFFECTING SEQUENTEAL OPERATIN F TIE KEYS F A TAPE PER- FRATHNG MACHDJE Claire N. Brewer, Colorado Springs, Colo., assigner to international Typographieal Union of North America, Colorado Springs, Colo.

Filed Get. 2,4, 1962, Ser. No. 232,770 2 Ciaims. (Cl. 234-13) This invention relates broadly to the operation of the keyboards of machines which are used in the art of typecasting, typesetting and the transmission of messages, such as, for example, machines which perforate tape which is used in the operation of typesetting or typecasting machines or the sending of messages, typewriting machines, electro-typesetters, Photon machines, machines for the automatic electrical control of typesetting or typecasting machines, Varitype machines, machines for typing matter from which printing plates are made, and the like. While the invention is useful in the operation of the keyboards of such, and similar, machines, it will be particularly described in this application in connection with, and as applied to, a machine which perforates tape which is used in the operation and control of a typesetting or typecasting machine such as the Linotype, Intertype and Monotype machines.

It has, for many years, been the general practice in the printing art to cast and set type by the use of machines such as the Linotype. Such machines are equipped with a special keyboard, usually having ninety keys although sometimes a greater and sometimes a smaller number of keys are provided, and the operation of such machines must be performed by highly skilled personnel who are able to operate the special keyboard and perform other duties essential to the most eflicient operation of these very complex machines.

It has heretofore been proposed to operate such typecasting machines by means of a perforated tape prepared on a machine having a keyboard which corresponds to the standard typewriter keyboard, with the addition of certain keys for performing operations and producing characters which are necessary in printing but not in typewriting. Such machines are now available commercially, a typical one being known as the Teletypesetter. It has been found, however, that the over-all efliciency and cost of typecasting with the use of such auxiliary tape-perforating machines are less favorable than the eiciency and cost of operation with the use of skilled Linotype operators who are particularly skilled in the operation of typecasting machines having the standard Linotype keyboard. The use of machines for perforating tape for the operation of typecasting machines has become widespread, however, and it will be apparent that further and very important advantages would be produced in the over-all efiiciency and costs of a printing plant by the operation of such machines by skilled operators having knowledge of the entire typecasting, typesetting and printing operations and, particularly, being skilled in the use of the standard Linotype keyboard.

In my United States Letters Patent Nos. 2,679,902, 2,737,240 and 2,737,616 and in United States Letters Patent to Happel, Arvin and Murphy, No. 2,739,649, there is disclosed apparatus, including a keyboard having keys positioned and arranged substantially as in a standard Linotype machine keyboard, for association with a tape perforating machine such as the Teletypesetter, which apparatus, upon operation of its keys, will actuate the keys of the tape perforating machine to perforate tape in the normal manner of operation of the tape perforating machine. The apparatus provided by these patented inventions will be referred to hereafter in this specification as the auxiliary keyboard apparatus, and the tape perforating machine will sometimes be referred to as the TTS The present invention has to do with improvements in such auxiliary keyboard apparatus and, while it will be described in this specification in connection with a specific problem, namely the production of perforated tape for setting type for telephone directory listings of name, address and number, it is to be understood, and is and will be so understood by those skilled in the art, that it is of general utility and application in the typesetting and composing lields.

In the operation of such auxiliary keyboard apparatus to cause the associated tape perforating machine to make the tape perforations necessary to set a single line of a telephone directory listing, a great number of key operations must be performed. Thus, in order to produce the perforations necessary to set the following line:

Brewer Jean Mrs. 824 Palm 297-3685 Upper rail key Shift key Bn key Unshift key rewer keys Thin space key Shift key Jrs key Unshift key can keys Thin space key Shift key M key Unshift key rs keys Spaceband Lower rail key 824 keys Shift key Pas key Unshift key alm keys Spaceband Upper rail key Em and en leader keys 297 keys Hyphen key 3685 keys Return key Elevate key It will be apparent that the many operations which are required to produce the tape perforations necessary to set one line of a telephone directory listing are time consuming and therefore costly and that it would be advantageous to reduce the number of such operations, and it has been the principal object of this invention to provide means for reducing the number of key operations required by such a listing, and this has been achieved by the means described in this specification.

In the operation of a tape perforating machine through the medium of the auxiliary keyboard apparatus disclosed in said Letters Patent and referred to above, to produce perforated tape for the operation of a typesetting machine to cast and set type for the printing of telephone directory listings, it is often necessary to make a very great number of the same series of tape perforations. Thus, in the Washington, DC., telephone directory for 1961- 1962 there are approximately 3800 listings of persons having the name Brown, approximately 4300 listings of Johnson, approximately 3500 listings of Iones, approximately 6000 listings of Smith, and approximately 2100 listings f Brewer, in addition to many other name listings in considerable number. In preparation for setting the type for a new or revised telephone directory, it has heretofore been necessary for the operator of the tape perforating machine to manually depress, for each line, all of the keys required to produce the tape perforations necessary to set the type required for these names. Thus, in perforating tape for each line in the Brewer listings the following operations are required to produce only the perforations for the Word Brewer, it being assumed that the name is to be printed in bold face type, as is the usual case in telephone directory printing:

Upper rail key Shift key Cb Unshift key rewer keys Thin space key Shift key It will be apparent that the necessity for the operator to make all of these manual depressions of the keys of the auxiliary keyboard apparatus is time consuming and therefore costly. In addition to the production of tape perforations necessary to cause the casting of type to print each of a long series of the same name, such as Brown, Smith or Brewer, other repetitive operations are required in producing the tape perforations necessary to set the type for a single line of a telephone listing. It has therefore been a principal object of this invention to provide means for eliminating the necessity for making these successive repetitive manual operations in producing a series of tape perforations. Thus, the means provided by the invention may be set up and operated to produce, at any time when desired, a predetermined series of tape perforations without the necessity for any manual operation by the operator other than the operation of means provided by the invention for initiating the operation of the auxiliary keyboard apparatus to produce the predetermined series of tape perforations.

DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. 1 is a circuit diagram showing the means provided by the invention for producing tape perforations representing any desired combination of letters, numerals or other characters in a pre-determined sequence;

FIG. 2 is a circuit diagram showing the means provided by the invention for alternately producing shift and unshift tape perforations upon successive operations of a single key, and

FIG. 3 is a circuit diagram showing the means provided by the invention for alternately producing lower rail key and upper rail key tape perforations upon successive operations of the spaceband key.

SPECIFICATION Description of FIGURE 1 In FIG. 1 of the drawings forming part of this speciication there are shown a number of the keys of the keyboard of a tape perforating machine such as the TTS. This keyboard has a key for each letter of the alphabet although, for purposes of simplicity, not all of these letter keys are shown in FIG. 1. The keyboard also has a key for each numeral from zero to nine, which are not shown in the drawings, and also has additional keys which are required for printing but are not required for typewriting. In addition, this keyboard has a shift key 2 and an unshift key 4 which, when operated, produce characteristic tape CIL perforations which cause the typesetting machine operated and controlled by the tape to set upper case or lower case characters corresponding to subsequent tape perforations, depending on which of the shift and unshift keys was last previously operated. Thus, for example, operation of the A key will always produce the same characteristic tape perforation, but the typesetting machine controlled and operated by the tape will cast and set an upper case A or a lower case a depending on whether the shift or unshift key was last operated prior to operation of the A key. The keyboard also has an upper rail key 6 which, when operated, produces a characteristic tape perforation which causes the typesetting machine operated and controlled by the tape to set bold face upper or lower case characters corresponding to subsequent tape perforations. In addition, the keyboard has a lower rail key S which, when operated, produces a characteristic tape perforation which causes the typesetting machine operated and controlled by the tape to set light face upper or lower case characters corresponding to subsequent tape perforations. In addition, the keyboard has a thin space key 10 which, when operated, produces a characteristic tape perforation which causes the typesetting machine operated and controlled by the tape to insert a thin space. In addition, the keyboard has a lamp 14 which, when lighted, indicates to the operator that a predetermined series of tape perforations has been completed. In FIG. 1 there are also shown parts of the auxiliary keyboard apparatus provided by the inventions disclosed in said Letters Patent. Thus, there is associated with each key of the tape perforating machine a solenoid which is indicated, where a reference numeral is used, by the reference numeral of the associated key, with the addition of the letter a, the operating solenoid for the shift key 2 being designated 2a, the operating solenoid for the upper rail key 6 being designated 6a, and so forth. One terminal of the winding of each of these solenoids is connected to power, as shown.

In accordance with, and as provided by, the present invention the other terminal of each solenoid is connected to a plurality (four being shown with each solenoid) of jacks which are designated by the reference numeral of the associated key plus the addition of the letter b. Thus, the four jacks associated with the shift key 2 and connected to the open terminal of the solenoid 2a are designated 2b, the four jacks associated with the unshift key 4 and connected to the open terminal of the solenoid 4a are designated 4b, the four jacks connected to the open terminal of the winding of the operating solenoid 6a for the upper rail key 6 are designated 6b, and so on. These jacks are of conventional construction and are adapted and intended to receive plugs which, if connected to ground, will cause the completion of a circuit through the connected solenoid winding.

In further accordance with the invention there is provided a selective rotary switch 16 comprising a plurality of xed contacts arranged in a circular series, twentyfour contacts being shown in the illustrated embodiment of the invention and being designated as contacts 20 to 43, inclusive. The rotary switch also comprises a contact arm 44 which is rotatably mounted and grounded at 46 at its one end and, at its other end, engages successively the fixed contacts as the arm is rotated in a counterclockwise direction by a motor 48, which may be a commercially available magnetic brake gear motor, and which drives the contact arm through belt or gearing 50. It will be seen that as the contact arm moves in its normal rotation in a counter-clockwise direction it will pass from its normal, inoperative position in engagement with fixed contact 43 successively over the fixed contacts 20 to 42.

Means are provided by the invention for controlling the operation of motor 43, to thereby operate the movable contact arm 44. Such means comprise a latching relay which is indicated generally at 60 and which comprises relay coil 62 which, when energized, operates pivoted armature 64 to close two normally open switches 66, 68. A pivoted latching arm 70 is constantly biased toward armature 64 by spring 72 and, when the armature is moved to operative position closing switches 66, 68, the latching arm holds the armature in this position until it is pulled away from the armature by energization of release coil 74. One terminal of motor 48 is connected to power and the other, or open, terminal is connected to one contact of the normally open switch 68, the other contact of which is connected to ground. One terminal of the release coil is connected to power and the other, or open, terminal is connected to one Contact of the normally open switch 66, the other contact of which is connected to the open contact 43 of the series of fixed contacts of the selective rotary switch i6. A control device on the keyboard of the auxiliary apparatus, which may be a special Name key 76, is supported and arranged, when depressed, to close a normally open switch '78, one contact of which is grounded and the other contact of which is connected to the open terminal of relay coil 62.

In accordance with the invention, means are provided to connect each of the xed contacts of the rotary switch 16, beginning with the rst fixed contact 2i?, to any selected one of the operating solenoids for the keys of the tape perforating machine, the fixed contacts being connected in the sequence in which it is desired to have tape perforations made, in order to produce a series of tape perforations corresponding to a predetermined sequence of letters, or other characters. For purposes of illustration, the connections required in practicing the invention to produce the proper name Brewer upon a single depression of name key 'i6 will be described, it being pointed out that this name includes two rs and two es Accordingly, in accordance with the sequence set forth above, the fixed contacts, beginning with contact 2t), are connected as follows:

Contact 2? is connected by lead 3S to one of the jacks 6b which are connected to the open terminal of the operating solenoid 6a for the upper rail key 6. The second fixed contact 21 of the rotary switch is connected by lead 32 to one of the jacks 2b which are connected to the open terminal of the winding of the operating solenoid 2a for the shift key 2. The third fixed contact 22 is connected by lead S4 to one of the iacks which are connected to the open terminal of the operating solenoid for the B, b key of the tape perforating machine. The fourth fixed Contact 23 is connected by lead 86 to one of the jacks 4b which are connected to the winding of the operating solenoid 4a for the unshift key 4. The fifth fixed contact 24 is connected by lead 85 to one of the jacks which are connected to the oepn terminal of the winding of the operating solenoid for the R, r key of the tape perforating machine. The next fixed contact 25 is connected by lead 9d to one of the jacks which are connected to the open terminal of the operating solenoid for the E, e key of the tape perforating machine. The next xed contact 26 is connected by lead 92 to one of the jacks which are connected to the winding of the operating solenoid for the W, w key of the tape perforating machine. The next fixed contact 27 is connected by lead 96 to the second of the jacks which are connected to the winding of the operating solenoid for the E, e key of the tape perforating machine. The next fixed contact 23 is connected by lead 98 to the second of the jacks which are connected to the winding of the operating solenoid for the R, r key of the tape perforating machine. The next fixed contact 29 is connected by lead ld@ to one of the four jacks which are connected to the winding of the operating solenoid for the thin space key it) of the tape perforating machine. The next fixed contact Si) is connected by lead iti to one of the four jacks which are connected to one terminal of the signal light 14, the other terminal of which is connected to power. The remaining fixed contacts 31 to 42, inclusive, are not connected in any circuit in setting up the means provided by the invention for producing the tape perforations necessary to set and cast type to print the proper naine Brewer, but these contacts would be used in setting up the means provided by the invention for a word having more letters or other characters than does the word Breweiz The last contact of the sereis of fixed contacts, being Contact 43 in the illustrated embodiment of the invention, is not connected in any circuit at any time, and in its normal inoperative position the contact arm 44 remains in engagement with this contact.

Operation of the System of FIGURE 1 When it is necessary and desired to make a number of identical series of tape perforations to produce repetitively the same series of characters, such as those to produce the name Brown or iones or Brewer, the required number of fixed contacts of the rotary switch i6, beginning with the first Contact 2id thereof, are connected in sequence to the appropriate operating solenoids for the keys of the tape perforating machine, as illustrated above in connection with the word Brewen The fixed contacts of the rotary switch may be constructed as jacks, similarly to the contacts connected to the winding of each operating solenoid for the keys of the tape perforating machine, and the connections between the fixed contacts of the rotary switch and the jacks connected to the solenoid windings may be easily made by connected plugs. When these required connecitons have been made, the Name key 76 is depressed and released, completing a circuit from ground through the operating coil 62 of latching relay 6ft, thereby operating armature 64 to close switches 66, 63. As the armature is operated the latching arm 7S is moved over by spring 72 to hold the armature in closed position until the latching arm is released from the armature by energization of release coil '74. Closing of switch 68 completes a circuit energizing motor 4S, thus moving contact arm 44 from fixed contact 43 of fixed Contact Ztl. When this occurs a circuit is completed from ground at 46, through contact arm 44, contact 29, lead Si) and the first of the jacks connected to the operating solenoid 6a for the upper rail key 6 of the tape perforating machine, causing the same to be depressed to produce the characteristie upper rail tape perforation. Movement of contact arm 44 away from fixed contact 43 disconnects switch 66 from ground and the release coil 74 thereby remains deenergized, and the latching arm continues to hold armature 64 in position to close switch 68. Motor 4d is thus operated to rotate arm 44 over the entire series of fixed contacts 26 to 42, and operation of the motor and rotation of the contact arm are stopped only when the contact arm moves out of engagement with tixed contact 42 and into engagement with xed contact 43.

The motor speed is, of course, properly adjusted to cause the contact arm 44 to engage the contacts 21 to 42 at proper intervals. As the contact arm rotates it moves from contact 29 to contact 2l, and engagement with Contact 21 energizes the operating solenoid 2a for the shift key 2, causing the tape perforating machine to produce the characteristic shift tape perforation. In this way the contact arm 44 is moved step by step over the series of fixed contacts of the rotary switch, and when it is in engagement with each Contact the operatively connected key of the tape perforating machine is operated to produce the tape perforations determined by the connections of the fixed contacts of the rotary switch to the operatino solenoids for the keys of the tape perforating machine.

The operating solenoids for the keys of the tape perforating machine will therefore by operated in proper sequence to produce the characteristic tape perforations for the name Brewer, and all of the letters of this name will be printed in bold face type because of the prior operation of the upper rail key, and will be succeeded by a thin space tape perforation and the momentary flashing of lamp f4, indicating that the pre-determined series of tape perforations, for the name Brewer in the example being described, has been completed and that the perforations for the next word in the line may be made. These, of course, will be made in the usual way by separate key depressions, and the Name key 72 will not be depressed again until it is desired to produce automatically the series of tape perforations necessary to cast and set the proper name Brcwen in the example being described.

After the contact arm has moved over and into engagernent with all of the fixed contacts of the rotary switch which are connected to operate keys of the tape perforating machine, it moves successively into engagement with the fixed contacts which are not connected to operate such keys, or connected in any other way, these being the fixed contacts 31 to 42, inclusive, in the Brewer example being described, and engagement of the contact arm with these un-connected contacts will produce no operative effect. When the contact arm moves into engagement with fixed contact 43 a circuit will be completed from ground at 46, through movable contact arm 44, fixed contact 43, switch 66, and the open terminal of release coil 74s. This energizes the release coil and draws the latching arm 7) out of engagement with armature 64, thereby releasing the same, as relay coil 62 is not energized at this time as the switch 7S of the Name key is open. Release of the armature 64 causes switches 66, 63 to open, thereby deenergizing motor i8 and stopping rotation of contact arm 44, which remains in engagement with open Contact 43 of the rotary switch. Another operation of the means provided by the invention to produce the tape perforations for the name Brewen in the example being described, may be made by depression and release of the Name key 75.

Description f FIG URE 2 It will be observed from the list of operations set forth hereinbefore as being necessary to perforate tape to` cast and set type for a single line of a telephone directory listing, that in four series of operations the shift and unshift keys are operated in sequence, their operations being separated in each case only by the operation of a single letter key. -In accordance with the invention means are provided for producing both shift and unshift perforations by the operation of a single key, which may be the shift key, the unshift key, or a separate key, and for producing the shift and unshift perforations alternately upon successive operation of this one key. These means are disclosed in FIG. 2 of the drawings forming part of this specification, .in which is shown a stepping relay B having twelve fixed contacts which are numbered from Zim to 211, inclusive. These twelve contacts are shown arranged in a circle for purposes of clarity of disclosure and the movable contact arm 212 of the relay Iis grounded and rotatably mounted at 214 at its one end and its other is end positioned rt-o engage the fixed contacts as it rotates. The movable con-tact arm is connected to the armature of a relay 216 which, when energized, causes the contact arm to rotate. One terminal of the relay winding is connected to power and the other terminal is connected to one Contact of a normally open switch 2118, the other contact of which is grounded. The switch is closed by depression of a key 220 of the auxiliary keyboard apparatus which, in accordance with the invention, may be the shift or the unshift key of the auxiliary keyboard apparatus or may be -a separate key. In any case, 'when key 220 is depressed either a shift or an unshift tape perforation is produced, these being alternately produced by successive depressions of the key.

In the embodiment of the invention being described,

the contacts are arranged in the following series and are labeled in the following way:

Reference numeral in accordance with the invention the contacts 260., 204 and 268 of the stepping relay, which in this embodiment of the invention are the shift contacts and are so labeled, are electrically connected together and are connected by lead 230 to the open terminal of the winding of a solenoid 232, the other terminal of which is connected to power. The armature of this solenoid 232 is operatively associated with the shift key 234 of Ithe tape perforating machine and when this `solenoid is energized the shift key is `depressed to produce the character-istie shift tape perforation. The lead 23u is also connected to the open terminal of the winding of a relay 236, the second terminal of which is connected to power. The armature 238 of this relay is grounded and carries one contact of a normally open switch 240, the second contact of which is connected by lead 242 to the open terminal of the winding of the solenoid 216 which operates lthe contact arm 212 of the stepping relay.

The contacts 202, 206 and 219 of the stepping relay, which in this embodiment of the invention are the unshift contacts and are so labeled, are electrically connected together and are connected by lead 25o to the open terminal of the fwinding of a solenoid 252, .the other terminal of which is connected .to power. The armature of this solenoid is operatively associated with the unshift key 254 of the tape perforating machine and when this solenoid is energized the unshift key is depressed to produce the characteristic unshift tape perforation. The lead 250 is also connected to the open terminal of the winding of 'a relay 256, the second terminal of which is connected to power. The armature 25S of this relay is grounded and carries one contact of a normally open switch 260, the second contact of which is connected by lead 242 to the open terminal of the winding of the solenoid 216 which operates the contact arm 212 of the stepping relay.

The contacts 261, 205 and 209 of the stepping relay are not connected in any circuit in the embodiment of the invention now being described and are therefore neutral and are so labeled in the drawings.

The fixed contacts 263, 297 and 211 of the stepping relay are electrically connected together and are connected by lead 279 to one terminal of lamp 272, the other terminal of which is connected to power.

Operation of the System of FIGURE 2 At the beginning of the operation `of the tape perforatmg machine and the auxiliary keyboard apparatus in accordance with the sequence of operations for which the iixed contacts of -the stepping relay B have been connected, the rotatable contact arm 212 of the stepping relay is in engagement with the lamp contact 211, this being its predetermined posit-ion at the start of the perforating cycle. In this position of the contact arm the lamp 272 is lit, showing that the next depression of shift-upshift key ZZG will produce the characteristic shift tape perforation.

Depression of the upper rail key (not shown), which is the first step in the complete sequence set forth hereinbcfore, has no effect on the stepping relay and its associated parts as it is not connected in any circuit with the stepping relay. Depression of the shift-unshift key 226, which is the next step -in :the complete sequence, closes switch 218, completing a circuit through the winding of solenoid 216 and operating the armature thereof to move contact arm 212. from contact 211 to contact 200 of the stepping relay, opening the circuit through lamp 272 Ito indicate Ato the operator that the next depression of the shift-unshift key 220 -will produce the characteristic unshift tape perforation.

Engagement of the contact arm with shift contact 200 completes a circuit from ground through the contact arm, contact 260, lead 230 and the windings of shift key operating solenoid 232 and shift relay 236, causing the armature of solenoid 232 to operate the shift key of the Ktape perforating machine to produce the characteristic shift tape perforation. `Operation of shift relay 236 closes switch 240, completing a circuit from grounded armature 238 through switch 244), lead 242 and the winding of solenoid 216 to power, causing the relay 216 to operate to move the contact arm 212 of the stepping relay from shift contact 260 to neutral contact 201, As this contact is not connected in any circuit all of the described completed circuits are opened, and the contact arm 212 remains in engagement with fixed contact 201. The B key of the tape perforating machine may now be operated to produce the characteristic tape perforation for the letter B, as shown on the list of required operations which is set -forth above, and an upper case letter B will be cast and set by the typesetting machine because of the prior shift tape perforation.

The next step in the sequence of operations set forth above is the unshift perforation, and the shift-unshift key 220 is depressed, closing switch 218 and energizing solenoid 216 to operate contact arm 212 and causing it to move from neutral contact 201 to unshift contact 202. This completes a circuit from ground through the contact arm, unshift contact 292, lead 250 and the windings of unshift solenoid 252 and unshift relay 256. Energization of the unshift solenoid causes the armature thereof to operate the unshift key 254 of the tape perforating machine to produce the characteristic unshift tape perforation. Energization of the unshift relay 256 closes switch 260, completing a circuit from ground through the relay armature 258, switch 260, lead 242 and the winding of solenoid 216, causing the solenoid armature to move the contact arm 212 from the unshift contact 292 to the lamp contact 203, completing a circuit through lamp 272 and lighting the same to indicate to the operator that the next depression of the shift-unshift key 220 will produce the Description of FIGURE 3 In FIG. 3 of the drawings there is disclosed another embodiment of the invention in which a stepping relay is used to produce successive tape perforations for setting some of the type required for a single line of a telephone directory listing or the like. It will be seen by reference to the table of necessary operations, which is set forth above, that the following sequences of key operations and tape perforations occur:

spaceband Lower rail key Spaceband Upper rail key In the embodiment of the invention disclosed in FIG. 3 and now to be described, the stepping relay C again has twelve contacts which are arranged in the following counter-clockwise series and are labeled as follows:

Reference numeral Contact Contact label 301- spaceband SB 302 Lower rail. LR

L Spaceband SB Lower rail LR Neutral N spaceband SB In accordance with the invention, al1 of the spaceband contacts 301, 304, 367 and 31) are electrically connected together and are connected by lead 314 to the open terminals of the windings of spaceband operating solenoid 316 and spaceband relay 318, the other terminals of which are connected to power. The arrnture of solenoid 316 is operatively associated with the spaceband lever 319 of the tape perforating machine, and the armature 320 of spaceband relay 318 is grounded and carries one Contact of a normally open switch 322, the second contact of which is connected by lead 324 to the winding of solenoid 326, the armature of which operates the contact arm 32S of the stepping relay C. The auxiliary apparatus which operates the keys of the tape perforating machine includes a spaceband key 330 which, when depressed, closes a normally open switch 332, one contact of which is grounded and the other contact of which is connected to the open terminal of the winding of solenoid 32e.

The lower rail contacts 302, 308 are electrically connected together and are connected by lead 340 to the open terminals of the windings of lower rail key operating solenoid 342 and lower rail relay 344. The armature of solenoid 342 is operatively associated with the lower rail key 343 of the tape perforating machine, and the arma* ture 345 of relay 344 is grounded and carries one contact of a normally open switch 346 the other contact of which is connected by lead 324 to the open terminal of contact arm operating relay 326.

The upper rail contacts 395, 311 of the stepping relay are electrically connected together and are connected by lead 35i) to the open terminals of the windings of upper rail key operating solenoid 352 and upper rail relay 354. The armature of solenoid 352 is operatively associated with the upper rail key 355 of the tape perforating machine, and the armature 357 of relay 354 is grounded and carries one contact of a normally open switch 356,

n the other contact of which is connected by lead 324 to the open terminal of the contact arm operating solenoid 326.

Contacts 306 and 312 of the stepping relay are electrically connected together and are connected by lead 360 to one terminal of a lamp 362, the other terminal of which is connected to power.

Contacts 303 and 309 of the stepping relay are neutral contacts and are not connected in any circuit.

Operation of the System of FIG. 3

1l spacehand key 338 will produce the characteristic spaceband tape perforation.

Depression of the spaceband key will complete a circuit through switch 332 and the winding of solenoid 326, causing the contact arm 323 of the stepping relay to move into engagement with the xed spaceband contact 361, This completes a circuit from the grounded Contact arm 323, through contact 301, lead 314 and the windings of solenoid 316 and relay 318. The armature of solenoid 316 will thereupon depress spaceband key 319 causing the characteristic spaceband tape perforation to be produced. Energization of relay 318 Will cause the armature 320 thereof to close switch 322, thereby completing a circuit from the grounded armature and lead 324 through the winding of solenoid 326, causing the contact arm 328 of the stepping relay to move into engagement with xed lower rail contact 302. This completes a circuit through the winding of the operating solenoid 342 of the auxiliary apparatus for operating the lower rail key 343 of the tape perforating machine and the winding of relay 344. The lower rail key is operated to produce the characteristic lower rail tape perforation and the relay 344 is also operated to close the switch 346 and complete a circuit through the winding of solenoid 326, thereby moving contact arm 328 into engagement with the fixed neutral contact 393 of the stepping relay. As this neutral contact is not connected in any circuit, no part of the apparatus is operated and the contact arm remains in engagement with this neutral contact until any subsequent operation of the spaceband key 33@ of the auxiliary apparatus. On the next depression of this key the solenoid 326 will be energized to move contact arm 328 from neutral contact 393 into engagement with spaceband contact 304. A cycle of operation will be initiated causing operation of spaceband key 319 of the tape periorating machine and operation ot relay 318 and solenoid 326 to move the contact arm from spaceband contact 3194 to upper rail contact 30S oi the stepping relay. This, in turn, will cause the energization of solenoid 352 to operate the upper rail key 355 ot the tape perforating machine, and the energization of relay 354, which will operate solenoid 326 causing the contact arm 32S to move from the upper rail Contact 365 of the stepping relay into engagement with the light contact 306, causing the lamp to be lit,

It will be apparent that operation of the spaceband key will, through the operation of the stepping relay C and the connected parts of the described circuits, cause subsequent automatic operation of either the lower rail key 343 or the upper rail key 355 of the tape perforating machine, thereby simplifying the operation of the tape perforating machine and its auxiliary keyboard apparatus by reducing the number of manual operations required to make the necessary tape perforations in accordance with the schedule set forth above.

The invention therefore provides means for effecting automatic operation of the keys of a tape perforating machine in predetermined sequence to cause a predetermined series of tape perforations to be made upon initial depression of a selected key of the auxiliary apparatue tor the perforating machine. The means and circuits provided by the invention may obviously be adjusted and selected in order to produce any desired series of selected tape perforations, whether these be a series of letters, numbers, or other perorations.

While I have described and illustrated in this specication a number of embodiments of the invention, it will be apparent to those skilled in the arts to which the invention relates that other embodiments, as well as modifica` tions of those disclosed, may be made and practiced without departing in any way from the spirit or scope of the invention, for the limits of which reference must be made to the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. Auxiliary apparatus for operating a selected group of the keys of a tape perforating machine in pre-determined sequence upon a single operation of a control key thereby to produce tape perforations corresponding to a pre-determined combination of characters such as the letters of a name, comprising electrical means associated with each key of the tape perforating machine to operate it when energized, a switch device having a plurality of xed contacts and a movable contact operable to engage the fixed contacts in sequence when operated, means for operating the movable switch contact, means for connecting the fixed switch contacts in sequence to a selected group of the electrical key operating means of the tape periorating machine in the pre-determined sequence, electrical circuits including a source of electrical energy for the means for operating the movable switch contact and for the electrical key operating means of the tape perforating machine, and a control key operated switch in Said circuit for closing the same to cause successive operation or" the tape perforating machine keys of the selected group.

2. Auxiliary apparatus for operating successively in pre-determined order a selected group of the keys of a tape perforating machine to produce a corresponding group of successive tape perforations in a pre-determined sequence upon a single operation of a control key of the auxiliary apparatus, whereby a pre-determined group of tape perforations such as those corresponding to the letters of a name may be repetitively produced any number of times upon successive operations of the control key, said apparatus comprising electrical means associated with each key of the tape perforating machine to operate the same when energized, a switch device having a plurality of fixed contacts and a movable contact, electromotive means for moving the movable contact of the switch device successively into engagement with the fixed contacts thereof, means for connecting successive fixed contacts of the switch device to successive ones of a selected group of said electrical operating devices for the keys` of the tape perforating machine, a control key, means operable upon operation of the control key to cause the electrornotive means to move the movable contact of the switch device successively into engagement with the fixed contacts thereof, a source of electrical energy, and electrical connections for said fixed and movable contacts, said elec trical operating devices and said source for energizing said electrical operating devices in sequence as the movable Contact of the switch device engages the fixed contacts thereof in sequence.

References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,061,277 Johnstone Nov. 17, 1936 2,679,902 Brewer June 1, 1954 2,735,491 Frost Feb. 2l, 1956 2,789,644 Sonnanstine et al. Apr. 23, 1957 3,033,444 Quinn et al. May 8, 1962 

1. AUXILIARY APPARATUS FOR OPERATING A SELECTED GROUP OF THE KEYS OF A TAPE PERFORATING MACHINE IN PRE-DETERMINED SEQUENCE UPON A SINGLE OPERATION OF A CONTROL KEY THEREBY TO PRODUCE TAPE PERFORATIONS CORRESPONDING TO A PRE-DETERMINED COMBINATION OF CHARACTERS SUCH AS THE LETTERS OF A NAME, COMPRISING ELECTRICAL MEANS ASSOCIATED WITH EACH KEY OF THE TAPE PERFORATING MACHINE TO OPERATE IT WHEN ENERGIZED, A SWITCH DEVICE HAVING A PLURALITY OF FIXED CONTACTS AND A MOVABLE CONTACT OPERABLE TO ENGAGE THE FIXED CONTACTS IN SEQUENCE WHEN OPERATED, MEANS FOR OPERATING THE MOVABLE SWITCH CONTACT, MEANS FOR CON- 